House of Newbies
by FanfictMONSTER
Summary: Nina's first week isn't going too well...
1. Icy water, orange jam, and makeup issues

The day wasn't turning out as well as it could have. My bushy brown waves lay in strands messily covering my face, soaking up tears. I couldn't see anything because of the darkness, but I kept my eyes open all the same. My eyelashes were glued together with tears; I could tell every time I blinked. I quickly took a suck of air into my nose, making a louder- than- hoped- for sniffling sound. I wiped angrily at my face, my hands smeared with crusted dry tears. Patricia rolled over in sleep, the soft shuffle of blankets alerting me. I tried to do the same, but the tangled covers made me feel trapped and claustrophobic instead of warm and reassured. I pushed them off in frustration. Why did she hate me so much? My body heated up with rage and frustration. Why couldn't she just understand how I felt? How I know nothing about Joy, how my first day here was ruined, how I just wanted to make friends. Now instead, Patricia hated me, Amber thought I was hopelessly geeky, Mara thought I was stupid, Jerome and- what's his name? Alfie? Yeah, Alfie- made fun of me, Mick completely ignored me, and Fabian thought I was weird and a crybaby. I thought that when I received this scholarship that it would be the best thing that's ever happened to me. I just lay there in my scratchy quilt, drowning in sorrow and thinking about America.

"Patricia, don't!"

Light shined through the grubby window, falling across my face. I shifted, half asleep, half awake. I had fallen asleep? So then it was morning! Well, maybe this day would be better than the last… somehow. I felt relieved (surprisingly) and anxious to start the new day. Perhaps-

My whole body gave a jolt and I closed in my arms and legs close to my body as a waterfall of ice cascaded onto me, all over my bed and pajamas, everything! I opened my eyes, which were spattered with water, to see Patricia's victorious smirk.

Mara, already dressed and washed up, was standing to the side, an expression of horror on her face. Patricia was holding a jug that was obviously previously filled with ice water. I lay there, completely soaked, the shock slowly wearing away. My face felt hot. Mara looked as though she wanted to help, but she didn't do anything. I felt hot tears rising to my eyes, threatening to pour over. I lifted my damp covers, rose out of bed and stood there, looking at Patricia. She smiled contentedly. I couldn't take this. I pushed past her and Mara, running out of the room and praying no one was there. I collided with someone immediately, however. I felt my shoulder smack someone and an elbow caught me in the nose. I fell to the ground, my nose aching numbly and my eyes blurry. I felt the other unfortunate someone land beside me. Great. Not only had I already made an enemy, but now I was hurting the other residents as well.

Patricia strolled out of our room, smirking with badly concealed laughter.

"Watch out, newbie," her heavily accented voice crowed. "First you take Joy away, and now you're making enemies left and right. Not the best way to start your new school term." It bothered me because it was true. (Well, not the Joy part.) Ignoring Patricia, I pushed myself up to see who I had bumped in to.

Fabian was lying on the ground in a mess of schoolbooks he had been carrying downstairs. He looked a little dizzy, but seemed fine. Aw, man! He was the one person who wasn't mean to me on my first day.

"I'm so sorry!" I said pathetically. He turned to look at me, smiling. His eyes glowed with laughter.

"S'ok." he chuckled. "My fault."

"You're not seriously warming up to the newbie, are you?" Patricia sneered nastily, breaking in to our conversation. Fabian shrugged her away and turned back to me, but his smile faded.

"You're bleeding." he said, sounding concerned. Maybe I did have a friend after all.

"Oh." I said, waving the fact away. I needed to not make a big fuss at that point, show him I wasn't a crybaby or drama queen. Fabian was my only chance of friendship in this house.

"I'm okay."

He shook his head determinedly. Taking my hand, he pulled me to my feet with surprising strength.

"Oh, _come on_!" Patricia protested in exasperation.

I stared at her in sadness and anger, trying to think of a comeback, but Fabian led me into the bathroom.

"What about your books?" I suddenly remembered.

"I'll get those later." He replied. His accent made me smile.

I watched as he pulled out some toilet paper from behind the sink. I kept an eye out for Patricia at the same time, though, even though she was probably already downstairs. She was the bane of my existence. Seriously. Fabian turned back around, and only then did I realize that a stream of blood was slowly dripping from my nose. I was going to take the towel from him, but he dabbed at my nose before I could.

"You okay?" he asked as he wiped the last of the blood away.

"Yeah."

"Listen," Fabian continued, looking me straight in the eyes. His face was inches from mine, but I didn't feel awkward or anything. "Just ignore Patricia; she's always been a git.

I smiled, no matter how hard I tried not to.

"She's kinda going through a hard time right now; her best friend is missing and everything. But stay by me and I won't let her do anything like this," he gestured to my dripping clothes, "again."

"Thanks." I said gratefully. "I'm so happy I've found a friend. " We walked out of the bathroom to Fabian's abandoned schoolbooks. "That's all I wanted, you know." I added as I bent down to help him pick up his books.

"Well, you've got one for sure." He replied. "But make sure you don't make bad ones. My advice is to stay far away from Jerome and Alfie."

"Yeah, they weren't the friendliest when I got here yesterday." I thought about the spiders in my right shoe.

I picked up Fabian's last book and laid it on top of the others that were piled in his arms.

"Thanks, Nina." He grinned. Right after he finished talking, however, an earsplitting shriek echoed from downstairs.

"Alfie and Jerome, I bet." Fabian accused. "Speak of the Devil."

"Devil_s_." I corrected.

We ran down the carpeted stairs. I wasn't really in a hurry to see who Jerome and Alfie just victimized or what happened to them, but Fabian darted down right away. I trailed behind him, letting him walk into the kitchen first.

I pushed the door open, arriving right after Fabian. No one said hi to me.

Amber was sitting at the table, her hair completely soaked and covered in what was probably some kind of…I don't even know. It was orange and sticky, and dripping down her forehead onto her left eyebrow.

Alfie was grinning from the other side of the table, and Jerome was lying on the floor all flat- looking, holding his sides in laughter. Unless I have them mixed up.

"Amber… are you…uh…" Fabian was smiling slightly, and I could tell he was putting a lot of effort into keeping a straight face. Mara had an expression of worry, and Mick looked like he was trying to do the same, but he looked more like he was constipated.

"This is not what I meant!" Amber squealed unhappily. The situation lost some of its hilarious-ness; Amber was close to tears. However, that only seemed to make Jerome and Alfie more amused. Mick walked over to her, smiling.

"You should ask them to pass the jam more often," he said, wiping off jam with his index finger and swiping it into his mouth. "You're delicious, babes!"

That did it. Amber burst into tears and pushed past everyone, running away in humiliation.

Mara ran after her immediately, and everyone else, even Alfie, looked a little more serious. Jerome and Patricia stood next to each other, facing everyone else. Jerome was still laughing hysterically and Patricia was sniggering nastily next to him.

"Nice one!" her voice echoed around the kitchen.

"That was kinda mean." I said in response, without really thinking it over. I immediately regretted it; Patricia's face fell and she strutted over to me.

"I didn't ask you, American."

"Sorry." I replied, my voice sounding small and sad.

"For what?" she retorted, eyes flaming. "Talking back, or abducting Joy?"

I opened my mouth in frustration, closed it, then opened it again, but nothing came out. I couldn't find the words. Suddenly, without warning or anything, I burst into tears.

Jerome looked confused and amused, Mick was too busy eating to notice, and Patricia looked disgusted and unmoved.

"Nina…" Fabian started. I couldn't even look at him; my embarrassment was too great.

I ran out of the room, hearing Patricia sneer, "That makes two of them."

I had completely forgotten about Amber's little episode seeing as I was wrapped up in my own stupid problems. I ran up the staircase, tears making pathways down my face. My footsteps echoed down the hallway as I padded into the bathroom. I gave a start as Amber whipped around, bright hair a flashing sight. Then I gave a second one as I saw her face. Mascara made dark tracks down her cheeks, and her blush and heavy concealer were smeared and made her look like a clown.

"Sorry…" I sniffed, wanting least of all to annoy yet another someone.

I backed out of the door, but before I shut it, a perfectly manicured hand with flowery nails caught it.

"Nina?" Amber whimpered.

"What?" I said harshly, expecting more criticism.

"Stay here for a sec'."

"What?" I repeated, this time in a gentle voice.

"Why are you crying?" she sniffled.

"I'm not." I lied, wiping at my eyes like an idiot.

"Yes, you are." She accused.

"No, I'm-" I stopped.

"That's right. I knew it." She smiled through her tears in victory.

"Patricia." I explained in one word.

"Oh, yeah. She's seriously, like, a witch." Amber sympathized.

"I figured that out." I raised my eyebrows.

"Yeah, ever since, like, sixth grade she's been like that. That's when I met her."

"Oh. Is that when you first came here?"

"Yeah… I was too good for regular school, I guess."

"Oh." I was positive that wasn't the reason.

"Yeah. Alfie and Jerome are so. mean." She rolled her eyes.

"Figured that out too."

Amber wrinkled her nose and picked a glob of jam out of her blonde hair.

"Are they always all… pranky like that?" I asked her, praying the answer was no.

"Yeah! It's like, so obnoxing."

"Obnoxious?" I suggested.

"Yeah, whatever." Amber waved her mistake away.

I smiled at her.

"Hold on a second." I scooted past her and grabbed a fistful of toilet paper. I moved over to the sink and ran some warm water over the paper. I then returned and pressed it into a confused Amber's hand.

"What are you doing?" she asked, one eyebrow raised.

"You a big favor." I answered, smiling. "Look at yourself in the mirror."

Amber looked into it and screamed a high- pitched squeal.

"Okay… Amber?" She looked at me fearfully. "Just wipe it off, okay?"

She nodded vigorously.

I grinned at my new friend and picked some orange goo out of her hair.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! This is my first H.o.A. fanfic, as you know! So, what's going to happen to Nina? Will she make new friends…. finally? REEEEVIEEEW!**

"Which one? Nina, this is serious. Like, seriously."

"I told you, Amber, I don't know! Honestly, I'm not your girl for that sort of thing."

"NINA. Just pick one. Strawberry, or cherry red?"

"I don't- strawberry, okay?"

"Okay!"

Amber happily applied yet another coat of glossy lipstick. She had this new system called the "lip layering" system. I don't even know.

Patricia had already gone down to breakfast, thank God. This was how most mornings occurred:

1. Patricia and I wake up at six a.m.

2. As we fight over closet space, who gets the bathroom first, and who's hair is clogging up the drain (always hers, for the record), we get ready for the day, in a sense.

3. She goes downstairs, but not before making a comment on how my "trashy clothes" "look like my gran picked them out."

4. I brush my hair and pack up my school bag.

5. Amber comes in my room to get ready, since her and Mara are having a fight.

6. We go downstairs as well, making sure to sit away from Patricia, although Amber insists that she should sit in "her seat," because it's rightfully hers, or something.

Today we rushed downstairs faster than usual, because Trudy, the really nice housekeeper here, made blueberry pancakes. Her cooking is to die for. Ever since my first day here three days ago, she's prepared these fabulous meals that no one, not even Victor (the scary guy who runs the house) can stay away from.

Of course, right as I turned the corner to dash into the kitchen, I collided with Patricia. She gasped and dropped her books. I didn't bother to apologize because we both knew all too well I wasn't sorry.

"Git." she muttered under her breath as I walked by, but loud enough for me to hear.

The only good thing about spending more time with Patricia was that she had finally stopped pestering me about the whole Joy thing. Don't tell her this, but I do think it's pretty weird, you know? How this girl who's lived here for so long just disappears one day, just like that? I would be worried about her too. And as for me "coincidentally" appearing the very afternoon of the day she left? That gives all the kids here a right to be suspicious of me, but doesn't give Patricia the right to be such a-

"Hey, Nina!" My spirits seriously lifted about fifty- thousand feet.

"Fabian! What's up?"

He smiled at me. Even though he's a guy, he's honestly my best friend here. Better than Amber, even, the self- proclaimed blonde genius.

"I don't know, ask Patricia she's been whispering-" the door slammed shut in the room behind us.

"I bet that was her leaving." I sighed. "Anyway, you were saying?"

I could feel Amber at my side, listening attentively as we walked into the dining room.

"She was smiling all strange like she was devising a plan, and was telling Mara and Mick-"

"Mara and Mick?" Amber exclaimed in a squeaky voice of utter fury.

"Erm… yeah, that's what she said, I think…" Fabian looked confused.

"OhmyGod. Like…they were…together?" she spoke the last word in a hushed whisper.

"I… guess…" Fabian glanced at me with a look that said, "HELP. ME."

"Um, Amber!" She looked at me with fire in her eyes.

"What?" she spat. She looked like she was about to throw a tantrum.

"Why don't you go… talk to her?" I suggested.

"Yeah. Talk…" she mused evilly. Amber stormed away unhappily.

"That wasn't a good idea." Fabian said nervously.

"What? Why?"

"Because now Mara's going to end up either in the hospital or buried!"

We both laughed, but I did feel a little bad about psyching Amber on Mara.

"So what did Patricia say?"

"She was talking about an initiation ce…uh…"

At first I wasn't sure what was stopping Fabian from talking, but then I looked ahead into the disaster that was the dining room.

Jerome had a bowl of maple syrup all over his lap. Alfie laid flat on the floor, a pancake with four bites in it on his head. Mara sat petrified at the table, a pitcher of orange juice slowly dripping from its tipped over position on the tablecloth into her lap. Her mouth was open; it probably had been like that for a while. Mick was standing in the corner, his face an expression of surprise, yet he still found it a priority to stuff "Munch-o's: Quality Cereal" in his mouth.

"What…?" Fabian couldn't seem to get past the first word.

"BEST. FOOD FIGHT. EVER!" Alfie suddenly roared from his defeated position on the floor.

"You know it!" Jerome cackled.

Mara looked disgusted.

"You guys…seriously? I'd just freshened up and everything!" she protested.

Mick burst out giggling.

"That was epic!"

"Not from my position!" Mara said, upset.

"Need some help cleaning up?" I offered, ignoring my stomach's low rumbles.

"Yeah. Um, thanks." Mara smiled, wiping her syrupy hands on a napkin.

"Why is it that I always make friends right after an Alfie- and- Jerome- caused explosion of food?" I smiled.

Mara laughed.

"C'mon. I'll talk to you later, Fabian."

He nodded, still a little in shock from the natural disaster we just walked in on.

Trudy pushed open the kitchen door, carrying a huge platter.

"Who wants…?" she trailed off, her eyes widening. "Oh my Lord. Alfie! Jerome!"

Pancake head and Syrup man looked up simultaneously.

"Idiots!" Fabian muttered, starting the tedious task of cleaning up the room.

I followed Mara into the bathroom. After trying to washcloth her syrup and orange juice off, we both agreed it would be better for her to take a shower. I went into her room as she washed up and picked her out a new outfit. It was already 7:30, so we were already doomed to be late to homeroom. I guess it didn't matter how long it took. I knocked on the door, and Mara let me in. the room was hot with steam. She had one towel wrapped around her body and one around her head in a turban.

"Here you go," I said, handing her her uniform.

"Thanks! Alfie and Jerome are such-"

"Idiots?" I suggested.

"There you go." She laughed.

"So…um…" God! I hated awkward silences!

"How long have you been here?"

"Since I was nine."

"Wow! So, long time?"

"Yeah, sometimes I miss my parents. But this is a really good school, so I'm happy. I'm just glad I am receiving a good education."

I smiled.

"I'll wait outside."

She smiled back.

After Mara came out, clean and wet haired, we packed up our bags and walked to school. At first Mara freaked out that we were late, but once I made her realize that we were already tardy, so it was okay to stroll, we had fun. It was nice, walking and talking with her. There weren't really any more awkward pauses. The only thing is, Mara is really smart, so she was using all these huge words I didn't know. I found it helpful to smile and nod, and occasionally laugh.

When we got to school, we said goodbye and walked our separate ways. I was at my locker when the bell rang, and suddenly a hand gripped my arm. I gave a start and wheeled around.

"Nina! Where were you in homeroom? I was kind of worried, to be honest."

"Fabian! You scared me to death!" He laughed.

"So, what-"

"Wait!" he interrupted. "Before we talk any more, I want to tell you something. We're going to get interrupted again."

"'K. Shoot!" I told him.

"Patricia is planning some initiation ceremony?" he said it as a question, sounding confused with himself.

"What? Oh, cool! Did you do it?"

"No! That's the thing. She's trying to trick you! Initiation, that's not even a th-"

"I'm doing it." I said strongly.

"What?" Fabian's voice was high.

The shrill bell rang again.

"I'll tell you later."

"No." He grabbed my arm gently, turning me around.

"What? Fabian, we're late!"

"Nina, she really hates you."

"Um, thanks?" I said, honestly a little offended.

"No, I uh…" his face turned bright red. He looked so upset that I felt bad for sounding so harsh.

"I always mess up what I'm trying... you know, talking when…"

"Fabian!" I laughed. He smiled weakly.

"I just meant that I think she might make you do something that will hurt you."

I was quiet for a minute. How far was I willing to go to earn her respect? Farther than this, I knew that.

"I'll be fine." He opened his mouth and then shut it again.

"C'mon!"

We ran all the way to chemistry, where Fabian and I made some green liquid in a glass beaker explode. Then we had to listen to our teacher give us a ten minute lecture on proper solute distribution. Both of us were snickering the whole time, which made her even more upset. When the bell rang again, I stuffed my science book into my backpack. As soon as I looked up however,

"Hey, Nina."

Patricia.

I gritted my teeth and prepared myself to face whatever jerky comment she was about to make.

"Sorry for being so mean to you lately." I raised my eyebrows.

"That's okay. Everyone needs a little-"

"Listen. How would you like to participate in an initiation ceremony? Every new person at the house has to do it, right Alfie." She was such a bad liar.

"Oh, uh, yeah! Right…initiation." Maybe it would help if he at least sounded like he knew what he was talking about. Despite all this, however, and ignoring the fact that Fabian was stuttering next to me, I said,

"Sure. What do I have to do?"


End file.
